


I'm Ready

by TheNightlyMartini



Series: The Daily Life and Strange Occurrences of Commieburger [4]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Commieburger, Duet, M/M, Music, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:53:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26063770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNightlyMartini/pseuds/TheNightlyMartini
Summary: America and North Korea unexpectedly sing a duet of "I'm Ready", originally by Sam Smith and Demi Lovato.
Relationships: America/North Korea (Hetalia)
Series: The Daily Life and Strange Occurrences of Commieburger [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884460
Kudos: 11





	I'm Ready

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the link to the acoustic/piano rendition of the song:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzb-XOrKjX0  
> Highly recommended to listen to this song while reading.
> 
> Some of the lyrics I purposefully skipped such as those in the chorus because it was too repetitive and wanted to focus more on the meaning in the lines themselves.  
> Also to note, I know next to nothing about music and singing. I looked up videos of the song to see what notes were what, and they may not be accurate.
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I don't own anything about the song "I'm Ready". It belongs to its respective owners.

“America, what are you showing me that can’t wait till tomorrow?” America had dragged North Korea over to the grand piano from the bedroom, where the other was in the middle of getting ready for bed, his hair already out of its ponytail. It was the night before South Korea was supposed to leave to return home, and America and North had to drive him to the airport in the morning. It was almost 11 pm at night, and South was already in bed.

“I’m not showing you something. I want you to hear something.” America clarified, as he had North lean against the back of a couch while he took a seat at the piano.

“Didn’t know you could play.” North tilted his head, indulging America.

“I learned when I was still a colony.”

He opened the piano where the keys stayed hidden while not in use. He turned towards North, looking him dead in the eye, “I heard this song a few months ago and I thought of how you and me got together. I learned how to play it on piano and wanted to play for you.”

North raised his eyebrows and parted his lips slightly in surprise. Despite having been dating America for a few years now, he was still not used to America’s little romantic gestures. “Oh.”

America gave a small smile before turning towards the piano and resting his fingers lightly upon the keys. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw North nod his head at him, encouraging him to begin.

The piano gave out a few light, fluttering notes, sounding slightly somber yet uplifting at the same time. He decided now to really wow North by actually singing.

_“It’s a cold night in my bed in the heat of the summer.”_

In the corner of his eye, he noticed North’s breath catch at the sudden singing.

_“I’ve been waiting patiently for a beautiful lover.”_

At the next part, America was thinking about his past relationships before North. He fell in love with North for his confidence, and he dearly missed him when he wasn’t in arms reach.

_“He’s not a cheater, a believer_

_He’s a warm, warm-blooded achiever_

_It’s a lonely night in my bed in the heat of the summer.”_

He couldn’t help but think about all the struggles and gains they made as a couple all these years.

_“It’s so hard when you’re with someone_

_Your heart breaks and that ain’t no fun_

_But I gotta take that risk tonight.”_

He continued into the chorus, stealing glances now and again at North who was mesmerized. He still remembered that day at a world conference where he finally took the plunge and asked North out.

_“I’m ready for someone to love me.”_

He played the brief bit of piano solo, keeping the keys light. He was about to start singing the next line when he heard another voice chime in.

_“It’s a hot night in my head in the chill of the winter.”_

He kept playing, but was shocked to see North had come up to him and started singing, too. He didn’t know North knew the song; much less was pretty good at singing. He kept quiet, listening to North’s side of the song.

_“No, I’ve been looking hard for a lover disguised as a sinner.”_

He couldn’t help but remember the nights where North felt comfortable enough to talk to him about some of his failed relationships. How many times had he helped wipe away North’s tears as he recounted tale upon tale of someone taking advantage of him? He long since lost track, but has sworn to give more smiles and laughs than tears.

_“He’s not a cheater, a redeemer_

_He’s a cold, cold-blooded defeater_

_It’s a hot night in my head in the chill of the winter, no.”_

It’s funny how they balanced each other out. North Korea himself seemed to be the only one who could calm and cool down his inner storms anymore, and he had managed to warm up North’s icy exterior and heart.

America took over the lead up to the chorus, with some added back up vocals from North. He swears he was so lucky that North felt the same about him when he finally got the courage to confess. He thinks he’s even luckier that North was willing to make the relationship work the best way they could with the limited visits and secrecy of it all. Any sane couple or people would have ended it long ago, maybe even before it began. Then again, he supposed he and North weren’t the sanest of people to begin with, and that made it work.

North then took over the chorus:

_“I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready_

_For someone to love me, for someone to love me, yeah.”_

He held that D5 note at the end perfectly. Now, America was absolutely certain that he would try everything he could to get North to sing more for him in the future. He continued the melody for a bit before he and North took turns on the remainder of the song, just like the original artists, before harmonizing the last few lines.

_A: “It’s a cold night in my bed in the heat of the summer.”_

_NK: “No, I’ve been looking hard for a lover disguised as a sinner.”_

_Both: “I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready_

_For someone to love me, for someone to love me.”_

They finished the last line, and the piano music ended. North had, during the middle of the song, sat down next to America on the piano bench, his back facing the piano but face towards America. He had a soft smile.

“You are such a sap, you know that?”

America jeered back, “Says the one who joined in on a duet on a song I thought you wouldn’t know.”

That earned a light laugh from the Korean. “I liked it.”

“I’m glad you did.” He leaned his forehead against the other’s.

They stayed like that for a moment before America had to ask, “My singing wasn’t horrendous, was it?”

That earned a light chuckle from his partner, “Well, I like it better than when you’re talking.”

“Oh, so should I sing everything I say? Even in meetings?” He then mocked singing a presentation, “For today’s meeting~ we shall start with-”

North flicked America’s cowlick, getting him to stop immediately, “Don’t ever do that again.”

America gave his signature smile, “But seriously, though. How was it?”

North leaned into the American, “To be honest, I’m not letting anyone else hear you sing.”

America was confused until North held up a finger to stop him, “Because I would never be able to have you to myself again. I swear you would have people flocking to you more if you openly sing like that.”

America lightly blushed, as he always did when North gave one of his compliments, as he knew they were genuine. “You do, too. That was phenomenal with how you hit that high note. Hell, you breezed through both the fourth and fifth octave with ease.”

North’s cheeks turned pink, “Stop that.”

“Seriously, you’re really good!”

“Keep it down. Do you want to wake South?” North pressed a finger to the American’s mouth, but couldn’t suppress his giggle.

They shared some quiet laughter between them until America stared at North in a tender, love-struck way, “I love you, Sang-Kyu.”

North shared the same look, only add a light brushing of a blush, “I love you, too, Alfred.”

* * *

Little to their knowledge, South was already awake. He woke up initially to get a glass of water, but stopped when he heard the piano being played. He listened to the little duet from his hiding place up on the second-floor landing.

To say he was impressed by both of their singing was an understatement. If they weren’t nations, he could totally see those two as a singing duo as humans. Such a shame that neither express their vocal talent all that much.

He remembered all those years ago when North used to sing lullabies to him during thunderstorms as children, and even the times when they would sing folk songs together while doing chores. His brother has always been the better singer, no matter how much the older twin would deny that he was any good. It was nice being able to hear it again, even if he wasn’t supposed to hear it.

He’ll admit, other than some political business he had to attend to in the States, he was kind of using it as an opportunity investigate into America and his older brother’s relationship. While he didn’t lead on to it when they first told him, he had his suspicions that both were in it for the wrong reasons, or, at least, had ulterior motives. Hence, why he was kind of purposefully cock-blocking them from time to time. Call him paranoid, but he had to know. One was his brother and the other his best friend, after all.

Yet, these past few days have taught him all he needed to know about the nature of their relationship. The duet itself simply solidified his thoughts. He could see how in love they both were with each other. Hell, he hadn’t heard his brother laugh or seen him smile this much since Japan had occupied them a century ago.

With a small, eased smile, he returned to his room, leaving the love birds to be alone for once.


End file.
